I-290 Expressway Status

Location: IDOT Pump Station #4 is located in Forest Park, Illinois, directly on the south side of I-290 Eisenhower Expressway, immediately west of the Des Plaines River.

Project: Construction of a new building, a 70-foot-deep wet well, and conversion of the original superstructure into a grit collection chamber. Expands storage and pumping capacity to prevent recurring expressway flooding caused by Des Plaines River high-water events. The awarded cost was $45,950,314.11 and was built by IHC Construction Companies, L.L.C.

Current Status: The reconstruction project began in January 2020 and reached completion in late 2021 and is in service

Location: Stretches along I-290 from the Des Plaines River to Austin Boulevard, traversing communities including Maywood, Forest Park, and Oak Park.

Project: A $350 million infrastructure project designed to resolve heavy runoff and chronic flooding along the Eisenhower Expressway corridor. Includes the installation of 3.3 miles of new parallel trunk sewer (ranging from 42 to 90 inches in diameter and reaching depths of up to 65 feet), new detention vaults/systems, one bridge reconstruction, and replacement of multiple retaining walls. Hydraulically connects to the existing trunk sewer feeding into Pump Station No. 4 west of the Des Plaines River, providing significant extra stormwater conveyance and storage.

Current Status: Granite Construction (joint effort between Granite’s Midwest Region and Tunnel Division) was selected as the primary contractor for this project. Executed as IDOT’s first-ever Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) contract, split into an initial preconstruction design phase (begun late 2025) followed by a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) construction contract. Major construction scheduled to start in Q1 2027 and reach completion in Q4 2029.

Location: City of Chicago, West Garfield Park neighborhood

Project: Removal and replacement of the 481-foot bridge superstructure and approach slabs. Repair and reinforce existing bridge abutments and support piers. Installation of new ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps, modernized traffic signals, updated roadway resurfacing, and modern underpass/bridge lighting.

Current Status: IDOT let the contract for this work November 7, 2025 to Lorig Construction. Winning bid: $22,596,336.18. Target completion date: August, 2027.

Location: Leavitt Street over I-290 between W. Congress Parkway and W. Van Buren Street in Chicago.

Project: Complete replacement of the existing concrete bridge deck, structural steel, and approach slabs. Repair and reinforce existing bridge abutments and support piers. Modernization of traffic signals, installation of upgraded underpass/bridge lighting, and updated ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps.

Current Status: IDOT let the contract for this work on March 7, 2025 to Lorig Construction. Winning bid: $13,975,160.90. Target completion date: August, 2027.

Location: Loomis St. over 1-290, City of Chicago, Near West Side/Illinois Medical District.

Project: Complete removal and reconstruction of the 520-foot bridge superstructure and concrete deck over I-290 and the Blue Line CTA tracks. Installation of updated sidewalks and ADA-compliant curb ramps to improve safe pedestrian crossing across I-290.

Current Status: IDOT let the contract for this work on January 16, 2026 to F. H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates LLC. Winning bid: $11,102,837.40. Target completion October 2027

Location: City of Chicago, South Paulina Street between West Congress Parkway and West Jackson Boulevard in the Illinois Medical District

Project: Reconstruction of the South Paulina Street Bridge spanning 780 ft. over I-290 and the CTA Blue Line. Complete replacement and reconfiguration of the bridge superstructure, concrete deck, approach slabs, and pier structural repairs. Includes dedicated bike lanes, expanded pedestrian walkways, and ADA-compliant sidewalk curb ramps.

Current Status: IDOT let the contract for this work on January 16, 2025 to F. H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates LLC. Winning bid: $13,918,848.21. Target completion: August 2027.

Location: City of Chicago, West Side, East Garfield Park

Project: Complete removal and replacement of the bridge deck superstructure. Installation of updated sidewalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, and improved crossing infrastructure. Reconstruction of storm sewers and drainage structures along the bridge approaches.

Current Status: IDOT let the contract for this work on January 16, 2025 to F. H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates LLC. Winning bid: $13,380,220.87. Target completion: June 2027.

Location: Chicago’s Near West Side (spanning the border between the Illinois Medical District and the Near West Side neighborhood).

Project: Full replacement of the concrete bridge deck and structural steel carrying Ashland Avenue over I-290. Repairs to the existing piers and abutments, along with resurfacing of the roadway approaches. Improved transit access by improving connectivity directly serving the adjacent Racine & Medical District CTA Blue Line Stations and major CTA bus lines running along Ashland Avenue.

Current Status: IDOT let the contract for this work on June 14, 2024 to Lorig Construction. Winning bid: $13,414,939.55. Construction in final stages.

Location: Village of Maywood, Cook County

Project: Replace bridge over I-290. Increase the bridge span length and vertical clearance to accommodate I-290’s planned widening and future managed lanes. Upgrade pedestrian connectivity across the highway divide with wider ADA-accessible sidewalks with improved crosswalks, lighting, and safety features connecting local neighborhoods.

Current Status: 9th Avenue bridge reconstruction is included in the IDOT multi-year improvement plan. Phase I Engineering, environmental studies (EIS), and corridor design planning are complete.

Location: Village of Maywood, Cook County

Project: Replace bridge over I-290. Modernize safety and traffic flow along 17th Avenue and surrounding interchange ramps. Expand pedestrian accessibility with wider, safer sidewalk designs and enhanced crosswalks. Accommodate future footprint expansions and managed lanes planned for I-290.

Current Status: 17th Avenue Bridge Reconstruction is included in the current IDOT multi-year improvement plan. Phase I Engineering, environmental studies (EIS), and corridor design planning are complete.

Location: Village of Maywood and Village of Forest Park, Cook County

Project: This project targets one of the most heavily congested bottleneck points along the western I-290 corridor. Complete reconstruction of the 1st Avenue interchange to address geometric deficiencies, heavy congestion, and sightline safety issues. Reconfigures connections so that local side streets like Harrison Street and Bataan Drive no longer directly intersect with 1st Avenue at the interchange. This stops severe neighborhood cut-through traffic attempting to bypass expressway delays. The project features widened 12-foot pedestrian sidewalks to significantly improve non-motorized safety across the expressway trench. The approved plan replaces the current interchange configuration with a at 1st Avenue. This will feature dedicated dual left-turn lanes and a single traffic signal, estimated to reduce signal wait

Current Status: 1st Avenue Bridge Reconstruction is included in the current IDOT multi-year improvement plan. Phase I Engineering, environmental studies (EIS), and corridor design planning are complete.

Location: City of Chicago, West Garfield Park neighborhood.

Project: Complete removal of existing bridge and construction of a new overpass structure carrying Central Park Avenue over I-290 and adjacent CTA Blue Line tracks. Lengthens the bridge span and updates vertical clearance to make room for future mainline expressway widening and potential managed toll/express lanes on I-290. Construction of wider, ADA-compliant sidewalks, new approach slabs, modernized traffic signals, roadway lighting. Integrates civil design for a CDOT-funded cap/deck structure adjacent to the bridge to add public space and further reconnect the neighborhood across the highway barrier.

Current Status: IDOT let the contract for the project January 16, 2026 to F. H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates LLC. Winning bid: $19,469,072.14. Completion in 2027.

Location: Oak Park, Cook County, spanning I-290 and the adjacent CTA Blue Line tracks at Ridgeland Avenue).

Project: Full structural replacement of the bridge and associated retaining walls along the expressway. Widening the bridge span and vertical clearance to accommodate future I-290 mainline expansion and potential managed express/HOV lanes. Enhancing pedestrian safety, upgrading ADA-compliant sidewalks, and improving bike and transit connections across the highway divide, directly adjacent to the Ridgeland CTA Blue Line Station.

Current Status: The Ridgeland Avenue Bridge Project is included in the current IDOT multi-year improvement plan. Phase I Engineering, environmental studies (EIS), and corridor design planning are complete. Phase II Final Design is ongoing, The Village of Oak Park and IDOT are actively conducting joint studies (Bridging the Ike / PEL studies) to gather public input on bridge deck expansions, green space, and pedestrian connectivity improvements across all Oak Park overpasses (including Ridgeland, Oak Park, East, and Lombard Avenues).

Location: City of Chicago, West Garfield Park neighborhood

Project: Demolition, repair, and eventual superstructure replacement of the overpass carrying Pulaski Road over I-290 and the adjacent CTA Blue Line tracks. Expands structural span length and vertical clearance to accommodate future I-290 mainline expansion and managed toll/express lane additions. Modernizes pedestrian access with wider, ADA-compliant sidewalks, upgraded signals, safety fencing, and enhanced lighting across the highway divide.

Project Status: The Ridgeland Avenue Bridge Project is included in the current IDOT multi-year improvement plan. Phase I Engineering, environmental studies (EIS), and corridor design planning are complete. Phase II Final Design is ongoing.